is it possible to make money from a website

saxmanjc

scaredofdebt wrote: »

I researched a very good targeted keyword and built a site that now ranks #1 for the term. According to Google Keywords there's about 1,300 monthly searching that term, yet I get only 2-3 hits per day, I'd expect about ten times that amount as the site ranks #1

Are you sure it ranks number 1? I'm not being funny but there is something many people do not know about Google that makes them think their own website is ranking much higher than it is.
By default Google remembers the searches you make on your computer and remembers the websites you visit. It will then rank higher the websites you have visited frequently. I have had website owners telling me that they are ranking number 1 for a search term but I then see that it is only ranking number 1 for them.
You can switch off Google web history by visiting;
https://history.google.com/history/optout?hl=en
This will then mean that searches you make in Google will show the actual ranking position of your site.

mrsyardbroom

patman99 wrote: »

No-one seems to have answered my q. Does Webgain work on blogs, or will they only entertain websites ?.

You need to ask them if they'll accept your blog. Once you've signed up with Webgains you have to apply to join the individual merchants. It's a simple process of looking in the directory for suitable merchants and clicking on a link to join. Some merchants will let you join straight away but others will evaluate your website first. I've signed up to over 40 merchants and have only ever been turned down by one. I earn quite a bit through Webgains, anything up to £100 a month at the moment.

uptomyeyeballs

High paying keywords generally also have high competition too, so it's not as easy as just picking a rich keyword and expecting to come out top of the Google pile. I've been trying to break into the top 64 with google in the hotels area, but no luck yet, and my website is about as SEO-perfect for that word as it can possibly get. Google just doesn't think i'm worthy of a listing above others of the same ilk yet ;-)

daz501

Nick_Swan wrote: »

If you have a really interesting niche, you could go direct to companies and ask if they'd like to advertise on the site for a monthly fee.

That's exactly what I'm doing with a local fast food directory. I'm starting to sell adverts for a monthly low flat fee, and using that as a springboard to upsell my marketing services.

daz501

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

It might help get some more traffic and make your website more sticky, but if you put adsense on the forum, expect your overall average CTR (click though rate) to drop, as ads on forums have much lower CTRs than other websites.

That's another issue worth considering - overall performance and earnings is dragged down by poorly performing units. I've started removing Adsense ads and replacing them with affiliate network banners. The Adsense earnings have increased slightly.

To get an ad unit to perform well it should be placed usually above the fold - but Google's new algorithm supposedly devalues websites with Adsense above the fold along with the other variables in their ranking recipe.

It just gets harder and harder with Google..